Species identification need in Meat Industry

The current food industry seeks to fulfil consumer demand with appropriate products. The meat industry holds a substantial share globally in the food supply. The increasing demand for processed meat products in the modern world brings to the forefront of significant food quality- related issues. In order to ensure food safety, which is a responsibility for producer and manufacturer, an opportunity has arisen to bring newer technologies to resolve the problem.

Food ingredients authentication is imperative to ensure the prevention of serious health issues and avoid hurting religious sentiments. The food processing industry deals with multiple ingredients at the same time which could lead to a rise in accidental contamination. But many food providers deliberately indulge in adulteration of food products by adding cheaper ingredients to garner profits. The species identification in meat whether it is beef, pork, goat or sheep needs to be specified and mentioned on the label or while selling raw meat so that the consumer is dealt a fair deal.

Species identification is essential when it comes to religious values and an individual’s choice as well. In few countries eating pork is unethical and it hurts the sentiments of the customers too. The type of meat is also connected with the cost as some are cheaper and aren’t supposed to be sold at a higher price. Also, few people witness an allergy to particular meat so it becomes important to mention on the label the type of meat along with other ingredients.

DNA based testing has become an important field to identify species. DNA is genetic material in almost all life forms. It is a specific sequence of nucleotides and is different in every living being and thus becomes a useful tool for species identification. At DSS, specific and affordable kits are employed for species identification and pathogen detection, which can be used for raw and processed meat products. Real time PCR is a rapid molecular biology technique which is used to identify species with high specificity and sensitivity in a sample on the basis of DNA. It can be used to identify meat species in raw form and also in processed form. DNA testing is also used to check the contamination of food pathogens in the meat like Salmonella and Listeria. The presence of these pathogens can cause food poisoning and other serious health issues.